Post navigation

Eat local: Indian Dinner for Friends, mid-Atlantic Ocean (crossing from Brazil to Africa)

Elephants were the highlight of the décor in our apartment on the ship for an Indian dinner for friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

Good friends (four couples) on our ship decided to have a special dinner in an apartment (we used ours, as we have a table that seats eight comfortably) while we were at sea for fours days, crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to the Cape Verde Islands, just off Senegal Africa. After some discussions with the ship’s food and beverage team, we chose to do an Indian dinner, as we have three Indian chefs on board from different cities in India. (It was also fitting in that our last two ports in Brazil – Fernando de Noronha and Natal – were used by Portuguese ships hundreds of years ago for refitting on their way to and from Goa, India.) In order to utilize the skills of the chefs from the different regions, we worked out a menu with the executive chef that enabled each chef to feature his home cuisine in an appetizer and a main course, with a number of canapés, side dishes and breads added. The pastry chef also worked with the team to create two Indian desserts. What was especially fun was that none of the dishes have been featured in our Asian restaurant on board. Thus, the chefs got to prepare some dishes from their home cuisines and we were given a culinary tour of Chennai, Goa and Kerala. We had beers and white and red wines to match the food, chosen by our well-versed beverage manager. Our waiter was from India and wore an Indian outfit, including Indian shoes. The decorations in the living room (canapés) and dining room were elephant-themed and colorful, and we were able to stream Jagit Singh music over the Internet to round out the ambiance. All-in-all, it was a wonderful “feast” – it almost seemed that each chef was in competition to outdo his peers and create the best dish(es) of the evening. We all felt like we had jumped on a magic carpet and left the ship for a festive evening in a private home in India. Our thanks to the whole team involved in creating this wonderful evening!

The table setting for an Indian dinner for friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

A place setting with elephant-design menu, Indian Dinner for Friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

The menu for an Indian dinner for friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

The first of two canapés served with cocktails (wine and beer) were several bowls of Roasted Chickpeas (garbanzo beans in America), Indian Dinner for Friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

The second of two canapés served with cocktails (wine and beer) were Prawn and Vegetable-filled Samosas with a mint sauce, Indian Dinner for Friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

A main course of Lamb Varattiyathu (from Kerala, India), lamb knuckle, coconut, ginger, garlic, and spice – one of the most flavorful dishes of the evening! — Indian Dinner for Friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

A side dish of Palak Dal, lentils, spinach, turmeric, garlic and chili; Indian Dinner for Friends, on board our ship mid-Atlantic Ocean

4 thoughts on “Eat local: Indian Dinner for Friends, mid-Atlantic Ocean (crossing from Brazil to Africa)”

I read this after enjoying a nan wrap filled with vegetable korma and smoked eggplant from the Indian food stand at Montclair Farmer’s Market. Mine was excellent; yours looks great, fabulous, wonderful, delicious. Love the Elephant menu and hope you have some extra copies for pachyderm-loving friends?? See you when you return to terra firma. Sail well…